Building record SBC 013 - Dovecote NW of Parish Church

Dovecote NW of Parish Church.

A C15 red brick dovecote tower with the design of a portcullis and chains in the brickwork. There is also what appears to be the initial I and a bishop's mitre lying sidways on 2 of the faces. The ground storey has 2 4-centered archways, one on the south side and one on the east. Roof tiled, with small entrance gablets to the dovecote. This building formed part of the College of St John the Baptist founded by Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March, when he converted the priory into a college for secular clergy in 1415. The college was dissolved in 1548 (S2)

A brick bower, perhaps C17, decorated with diaper designs. The lower room is used for storage, the upper part contains nesting boxes all over the walls. There are doorways below four-central arches on the S & S (sic) sides (S1). 'At entrance to grounds (of Stoke College) square early C16 dovecote, with initials and an unusual grille pattern in one place in dark blue headers. Segment-headed archway and small segment-headed window over' (R1).
1981: Lower storey still used for storage. Both brickwork and roof tiles in good repair (S1).
(Grid Ref in SAM file shown as TM 743 430 ?)
February 1998: Descheduled - details in (S1).